This invention relates to a device for tending baseball diamond dirt infields. The term baseball is used herein to include softball. It will be understood that the device may also be used for tending other dirt playing fields which must be kept smooth and level.
In caring for a baseball diamond, generally, the dirt of the infield is broken up, leveled and smoothed at the beginning of the baseball season. Because the field is used for play, it must also be frequently leveled and smoothed throughout the season. Presently, at the beginning of the season the infield dirt is broken up using a tractor-pulled disc or harrow. Thereafter, and throughout the season, the dirt is usually leveled and smoothed by pulling a drag across the field. Typically, the drag is a section of chain link fence with railroad ties, or other long heavy objects, placed transversely across it to act as a screen, over the field.
The procedure presently used requires at least two pieces of equipment, a harrow and a drag, and at least two operations, harrowing the field and dragging the field. This procedure does not always give sufficient results. The harrowing operation creates large clumps of earth which the chain link fence and screen frequently cannot adequately break down in a single pass, especially when the ground is wet. Therefore the clumps of earth and ruts formed by the harrowing operation may remain. Further, since most disc harrows require a three-point hitch, a large, heavy, expensive tractor is needed. When this tractor is pulling the drag and the screen across the field, the tractor may leave ruts which may not be fully filled or removed by the leveling operation. When the drag is used alone, it may not adequately level and smooth the field, especially when the field is too wet or dry. For example, the drag may need to be pulled across the field several ties, it may leave ruts in the field, or it may leave large clods of dirt.
Previous inventors have provided devices for the conditioning of gardens, fields, tracks, and ski trails. See Steinbach U.S. Pat. No. 3,225,835, Petitt U.S. Pat. No. 3,225,839, Kuncewicz U.S. Pat. No. 3,861,475, Hendrichon U.S. Pat. No. 3,915,239, Mitchell U.S. Pat. No. 4,374,546, and Nigmela U.S. Pat. No. 4,437,245. These devices are not designed to condition a flat playing field, and many are complex or require heavy equipment to pull them.